Central’s Thompson, Liberty’s Gimm, Sunde leading charge to state track championships

RUSHVILLE, Ill. — Jack Thompson shared the results of the events he participated in Wednesday during the Class 1A Rushville-Industry Sectional and the closing line summed it up his effort quite nicely.

“Huge Day!!!” he wrote.

The Camp Point Central senior jumper and sprinter set a personal record in one event, helped the Panthers break a record in another event and punched his ticket for the Illinois boys state track and field championships in three events.

He wasn’t alone in having a huge day. Liberty’s Tanner Gimm set a school record in the shot put and joined teammate Keegan Sunde in qualifying for state in two events.

Thompson won the long jump with a personal-record leap of 22 feet, 3.5 inches, a foot further than the rest of the field. He also won the triple jump with a leap of 46 feet, 6.5 inches. Meanwhile, Thompson ran the anchor leg on the Panthers’ 4×100-meter relay that finished second in 43.39 seconds.

The team of Curtis Rigg, Corbyn Cookson, Wyatt Schemerhorn and Thompson set a school record with that time.

Sunde, the Liberty senior, also went fast. He won the 100 dash in 11.07 seconds and the 200 dash in 22.69.

Gimm broke his school record in the shot with a toss of 52 feet, 7.5 inches, taking first by more than 6 feet. He also won the discus with a toss of 145 feet.

Pittsfield’s Jonas Anderson was second in the high jump, clearing 6-0.75. Payson Seymour’s Jordan Martin won the 400 dash in 51.89. Central’s Zack Wear was second in the 110 hurdles in 15.97.

They will compete in the Class 1A state championships next Thursday at O’Brien Stadium on the Eastern Illinois University campus in Charleston.